Featherston House edit
Description edit
The Featherston House sits in the Melbourne suburb, 22 Boulevard Ivanhoe 3079. It was designed by practice Robert and Boyd (Robin Boyd) in 1967 and the house was completed in 1969. The Featherston House is designed like an artist studio, and combines a warehouse and loft. The house is famed for the design of its interior. Its interior comprises of an indoor garden, combined with the suspension of four ‘floating’ platforms above the garden. The architect introduces natural light into the space by the construction of a transparent roof and large full glassed windows on one side of the house. The concept was to relook at how spaces could unfold and prevent compartmentalisation of the spaces.[1]
Boyd’s home design was built for the couple Mary and Grant Featherston, who were industrial designers and a flat that was meant for the Featherstons’ parents.[2] Boyd’s works raised awareness for Australia’s domestic buildings and suburbs in the 1960s and shows intentions of experimentation with ideas of affordable housing, raising the bar for aesthetics in suburbia housing for the general people.[3]
His works are often seen as representational of International Modern Movement in Australia. Robin was an architect, teacher and writer and was well known in his field as an architect who pushes ideas and boundaries creatively.
Key influences and Design Approach edit
The Featherston House sits on sloping ground, at the edge of a parkland in the suburbs. The Federstons, owners of the house were open to new ideas and Boyd had the creative freedom to design an alternative scheme, with the theme of living in a garden.[4] The design approach was considered radical at that time with full glassed windows, overlooking the bushland, its garden at the ground floor and platforms that are placed strategically from the chimney, placed in the centre. The Featherston house took on the idea of a beautiful tree house. The owner describes her bedroom— “with its dizzying outlook from the highest of the four platforms — as a "nest. The house brings in spaces from the outdoors and ‘responses’ to the natural environment.There is multi usage of a single space since the raised platform is used as a dancing area at parties. The raised platform also allows cool air in summer. The main exposition of this idea is a large 7.5m high space at the centre of the house.The idea of de compartmentalising is further developed by suspension of different living spaces on a series of four staggered, unframed platforms, forming the living, dining, study and master bedroom spaces.
In 1953, Boyd successfully achieved the vision of the combination of window and wall and launched The Stegbar 'Windowall' that year. The firm of Stegbar had been founded in Melbourne in 1946 by Brian Stegley (1920-1974) ('Steg-') and George Barrow ('-bar') with the intention of manufacturing clock cases and office furniture. In 1950 Stegbarmade timber windows from their factory on the corner of Bay and Aberdeen Roads in Sandringham. Robin Boyd designed the Stegbar 'Windowall' system [5] which revolutionised the firm's economic base. The overall appearance of the Stegbar 'Windowall' was light but the frames made of hardwood were resilient enough to hold any roof load.
Individual framing members were continuous in both directions – unbroken mullions and transoms - intersecting each other in a copyright halved joint, alike a floor to ceiling window. The ceiling over is translucent glass, allowing soft light to pass through and light up the space below at all times of the day. A wall of glass at the south elevation of the house lets additional light in and also provideviews to the treed parkland beyond. The eastern wall hides the kitchen, family and guest bedrooms, located in their own zone, with the flat above. Meanwhile the other service areas are placed behind the western wall. Some of the more unique features of the Featherston house would be Boyd’s preference of Japanese design, incorporating natural air conditioning, adapted to the Australian’s weather. The design includes three flaps built into the platform which can be utilised to draw air from a “cool room’ to ventilate the house.
Awards edit
Robin Boyd was awarded the RAIA Gold Medal in 1969. The yearly award for Australia domestic architecture is also known as the Robin Boyd Award.
References edit
- ^ Kernebone, Fenella. "Featherston House".
- ^ Kernebone, Fenella. "Featherston".
- ^ Accommodation By Design, Ultimate Hides. "Robin Boyd".
- ^ Percival, Linda. "Robin Boyd: Architectural Rule Book Rewritten".
- ^ Goad, Philip. "From Art to the Everyday: Robin Boyd and the 'Window Wall'" (PDF).
External Links edit
Boyd, Robin (2010). The Australian Ugliness. Text Publishing. pp. 304 pages. ISBN 9781921656224.